These economic times are hard for so many and in Japan they are running to stand still like everyone else. In Japan the homeless are quiet and often hidden from sight. They rarely beg or look at you and they don't cause trouble. At night homeless people sleep in the train stations. Sometimes they sleep in the outer stairways but often they are there for everyone to see. I haven't seen a Japanese or gaijin person give money to a homeless person. This is not a judgmental thing, I have not tried to help either. How they stay alive I have no idea.